All posts by Hunter

I still have little of any thoughts to blog about. Most of my writing work is done offside at the moment, whilst anything I read of interest can be found as daily editions on my curation tumblr blog, Everything for Writers.

But occasionally I browse across to read Dean Wesley Smith’s blog, and would recommend his current sometimes series now winding up – Stages of a Fiction Writer. It makes for interesting analysis of our own writing processes and belief systems.

The series is interspersed with DWS’s regular (heading across year two now) writing in public series, in which he shares daily word count and thoughts. I don’t read those many posts, but have noticed lately he’s featuring a lot of photographs of his pet cat.

So here I am, using an excuse to feature (and finally post a few more blogs) my own menagerie of pets, starting with my regular writing companions.

The first is constant buddy, infinite puppy-hood, Dougy. Dougy is coming up to being a year old now, and in today’s photo taken in my study as I write, Douglas is in obvious need of a good grooming.(His regular groomer has gone MIA, and my own attempts with scissors have not been well received).

When Doug goes out in public – which is most days, he draws a great lot of attention because his breed is a new one around here. Australia has a plethora of the new age dog breeds, specifically poodle crosses. We previously had a Cavoodle – cavalier king charles crossed with poodle. Cavoodles are plentiful around here, and easily recognised.

But Dougy is a new cross, and one that a lot of people inquire about. He’s a border collie cross with a poodle, which in local terms is known as a Bordoodle. With this cross, you have an extremely intelligent dog mixed with an extremely playful one. In my forty years of dog ownership I can without a doubt say that Douglas is both the naughtiest and funnest dog I’ve ever had. And with his smarts on, he’s also one easily trained out of bad habits – once you catch him at it, which is the problem.

Thankfully he also makes a brilliant writing companion, and considers a sleep surrounded by shelves of books and accompanying tapping of keyboards just perfect in any morning.

Well, the spammers started noticing, which forced me back on. So – here’s a quick update.

I’m still alive (save for an Autumnal visit of the flu/cold lurgy) and writing.

I’m still working daily on a series of YA superhero fiction – it’s getting very complicated. I’m intending daisy chaining the release schedule when three-four are completed (including pro-editing).

I’m still taking the occasional online course to progress my writing experience and networks. The latest is on short stories – which have always flummoxed me, but I’m going to give them another go.

I still read a lot and try to keep abreast of writing and theory – everything I find is shared across at my E4W tumblr site. Which has 1100 followers, so I must be doing something right. Occasionally I put up masterposts which point to the best links and resources on certain topics like structure, plotting etc. BUT I don’t spend time on answer boxes – I want to write (and plan, and edit) not write about writing much anymore. I don’t consider myself an expert, just a curator.

I am spending too much time (and doughnut money) on the addictive game Simpsons Tapped Out.

My study renovation is done. I have an entire office of pleasure. And I’m currently typing this out while overlooking the golden leaves of some native trees outside. It’s cold and windy, with a sharp taste of winter coming here in Sydney today.

For the first time in my life I sat through an Ebay bid war, and won something: This little red beauty, in working condition. She’s not one of those old solid black Remingtons of the 1940’s, and I won’t be sitting over her, snuggling a tumbler of whiskey under the manuscript.

But…she will do wonders as a display on my newly renovated study shelves, and she will also do wonders for my Writerly self – we all have a right to covet Writerly things after all.

And she will be given a workout by my daughter who’s never before appreciated the slowness and tap-tap thinking time of tangible keys and inky ribbons.

When I was a learner writer (as if we ever stop being that?!) I found a lot of help through Holly Lisle’s online writing workshops.

Her large (7 month) basics class, How to Think Sideways is relaunching for a very brief time again at the moment, and to celebrate (and draw you in) there are 3 mini workshops starting today. These are completely free to take, all you need is to signup to an email system.

Who needs an excuse to read? Well, sometimes as a writer it’s difficult to put aside a manuscript for the chore that reading can sometimes feel. (Anything which you know you should be doing takes the pleasure out).

I am currently in the middle of a revision phase. Which means I now am gifted with a greater understanding of the phase and an even bigger realisation that I don’t (yet) have enough knowledge to get me through. The self-editing stage is where all that writing craft knowledge comes into use.

There are hundreds of writing craft books, courses and WWW resources on structure, plotting and how to write a novel, but significantly less for the next process of revision, rewriting or self-editing.

But slowly more and more blog posts, writing books, and courses are opening up around the revision process for fiction.